Drilling hook



D. RAGLAND DRILLING HOOK March 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 27, 1951 INVENTOR. Douglas Rag/and, MMQM ATTORNEY.

March 16, 1954 RAGLAND 2,672,364

DRILLING HOOK Filed Oct. 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Douglas Rag/and. BY M? imb A T TORNE Y.

DRILLING HOOK Filed Oct. 27, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I82 179 176 170 ii F IG. 9.

I 1 F I 6. I I 204 I In L 19a I9o 9 7 207 205 I96 WALL.

F [6. IO

INVENTOR.

Douglas Rag/and.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 16 1954- UNITED STATES oFFIcs mesne assfgmrien-ts, to Standar #ment .Gompan of D laware 11 Gil Developiy, Elizafieth, N. .L, a .corporation separation more 27, 9:5 iel Fifi-lee? This invention relates to drilling hooks and, more @e rti .rly, relates to hooks nsed 91 suspending tu'buiar material in a borehole drilled into snhsurfaee formations.

Drilling hooks are used. in the drilling of boreholes into subsurface formations for suspending a string of easing, drill pipe, tubing or rods. lilssentielly all of thesehoolzs eons-istof a load supporting member and a hook member suspended the load supporting member, the hook member being asiaptesl for rotative movement relative to the load supporting member. adfeition to providing for each rotative movement, it has heoonzue common to prov-iole for limited longitudinal movement of the hook member relative to the load supporting member in which case the load supporting member is provided with a compression spring which serves to raise a stand of driil pipeas it is disconnected from the drilling string". Damage :to the threads of the tool jo-lnts "is avoided by providing such a spring. It is also eustomary to provide a "latchmechanism arranged to look releasaloly the hook ahozi'y against rotation with respect to the lead supporting-member. :With this latohmgar- .rang-ement in the disengaged position the hook hotly is free to rotate with respect to the load supporting member while engagement of the iiatehirr arrangement prevents relative rotation of hook with respect to the load supporting member. This latching -.arrangement is provided ,so that the hook ibOdY .oan the maintained in a :nreeleter-mineal radial :position with respect to the trawling :bloolz. locking arrangement .can

be used with safety in some situations .ib.ut.. oannot .gbe usecl-saiielyin others.

when making round trips :with .cirill =pipe, it is necessary that the elevators suspended irom hooks (of :the aforementioned .ttypestay :in a .pred terminegl tpomtion with respect to :the travel- ;in% gblook. .Grci-inanily -it is desirable that the opening 0f the elevator *face the .derrick .man so --that the -,elevator lean ;be .easily detached and uh.- latehed. Alignment of :the elevator in this manleer can :be acc mplished by engaging ithe aforementioned filetohine .anraneement :but vthe velimination :of 1th. swivel Section constitutes :a hazard oonsequently cthis practice @carmot aloe safely eoi rzteiilea-a obiect of the :pn sentinvent rifle m s o ho venti ne v lwith tins the ihqqk :bes i sweeter.- m ne pee on :IQSDQQE 11 1 111. enee ba .irhsn nerteizh .ok oodv-nhil a rhe same .-time neonates 1.

- are rotation etrv en the he member supporting the hook body when the forces tending to rotate the hook hotly exceed a predetermined selected valtiej (Ether ohjeets and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. -1 is a. front elevation of the present invention;

2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2 -2 of Fig. 1-;

org. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the clutch usedinf igs. land-2;

Fig. .4: is a sectional view of another embodimentzof the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a view taken alon igh-4.;

Fig. .6 is an enlarged sectional view of the clutch arrangementus'ed in Fig. .4;

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation of still another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a .seetional detail view of the .olutch arrangement .of Fig. -'7;

Fig. 9 a sectional view of another .clutch a1.- vrarleei clent "which may he used in the embodimentofFigs. ;1 and 4 Fi 110 is a se tional View of an ther olutoh y e in the emb dimen hool; body and. t

of one embodiment g the line 5 -5 of r 113g oyster arik ,g xiii over eat ,p i saigl sh rough he) pperenpl u W are b neaa 'embfi o0 g .1K and ls an .5 ;...r v" 1v. M all proj cti g; st p .1 Z s-m nd i side h isin #8 a jacent the upper .endthereof sotthat as spring 5 is compressed .u-nder dead, .gshank =2 hook :body d .gmove .downward1y ,until ball .55 rmgzassembl-yttn abutslon stop 1:2. tBalkheardisc-like member 2?.

that portion of pulley 4i nearest pulley 45 with amen 3 ing assembly I is provided so that hook body I and shank 2 may be freely rotated with respect to housing 4.

The alignment assembly, indicated generally by the numeral 20, the clutch assembly, indicated generally by the numeral 2i, and connecting cables, indicated by the numerals 22 and 22', are mounted on the hooks shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, in such a way as to connect hook body I and housing 4 to cause these two member to assume a predetermined position with respect to each other under normal conditions but to permit the free rotation of hook body I with respect to housing 4 when hook body I is subjected to forces exceeding a predetermined selected value.

Clutch assembly 2I consists of a member 23 slidably mounted on the squared portion 2' of shank 2 for movement thereon longitudinally of the shank. It will be noted that member 23 consists of a lower disc-like portion 24 and an upper disc-like portion 25 with an annular recess 25 being defined therefcetween. Mounted within annular recess 25 for free rotation with respect to member 23 i disc-like member 21, member 21 being spaced from portions 24 and 25 by bearings 28 and 28, respectively. Lower disc-like portion 24 is provided with at least one depression 31 and preferably with a series of circumferentially spaced depressions 3i in its upper surface 24' while the lower surface 21' of member 27 is provided with one or more recesses 30. Recesses 30 are positioned so that they match up with depressions 3|, recesses 32 being provided with a ball 32 biased toward disc-like portion 24 by means of a spring 2.3. It will be noted that ball 32 fits into a depression 3|.

A roller 60 is mounted in recess 6| at the lower end of housing 4 on an axle 62. Rollers 60 are for the purpose of providing rolling contact between housing 4 and member 23.

Alignment assembly 20 comprises a cylinder 40 having a piston 41 disposed therein. Connected to piston 4I is a piston rod 42 which is adapted to pass thro:.gh the lower end 43 of cylinder 40. A sprin 44 is arranged within cylinder 40 and biases piston 4I upwardly therein. A pulley 45 is rotatably mounted on housin 4 by means of pin 45; a similar pulley 4'! i also mounted on housing 4 by means of pin 48. A cable 22 passes over that side of pulley 45 which is adjacent to pulley 3? with one end of the cable being attached to piston rod 42 exteriorly of housing 40 and the other end being attached to A cable 22 passes over one end attached to piston rod 42 exteriorly of housing 40 and the other end attached to disclike member 21. The ends of the two cables are attached to disc-like member 2'! at points on the disc sufliciently separated from each other to cause a tension on spring 44.

Any force of less than a certain value tending to rotate hook body I will be transmitted through member 23 and ball 22 to disc-lik member 21. However, rotative motion of disc 21 with respect to housing 4 is resisted by means of spring pressed piston 41 which is connected by means of piston rod 42 and cables 22 and 22' to disclike member 21. If hook body I is caused to rotate to the left, as viewed in Fig. l, disc-like member 21 will move in cooperation therewith, in turn causing cable 22 to move over pulley 4'! and to pull piston 4i downwardly against spring 44. If hook body I is rotated to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, disc-like member 21 is also caused to move to the right, in turn causing cable 22 to move over pulley 45, pulling piston 4i downwardly within cylinder 40 against the bias of spring 44. It will be appreciated, therefore, that spring 44 resists any tendency of member 21 to rotate and tends to return disc-like member 21 and hook body I to its normal position with respect to housing 4.

If a force of more than a predetermined value is applied to hook body I, alignment assembly 20 cannot return the hook body to its normal position and it is for this reason that clutch assembly 2I is provided. When such a force is applied to hook body I, balls 32 are forced upwardly within recesses 35 against the bias of springs 33, permitting hook body I and member 23 to rotate with the disc-like member 21. The point at which this occurs is, of course, determined by the strength of sprin When, of course, the misalignment force ceases to operate or drops below the predetermined value, ball 32 is forced into one of the depression 3I in the upper surface 24 of member 23, alignment assembly 20 again being ready to maintain hook body I in normal alignment with housing 4.

Referring to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the numeral I00 designates a hook body which is aflixed to a shank IIiI by means of shank pin I02. Aflixed to the upper end of shank IOI is shank nut I03, both of which are disposed within housing I04 for limited longitudinal movement therein as well as for free rotation therein. Aflixed to the lower surface of shank nut I03 is bearing assembly I05. Housing I04 defines an inwardly extending shoulder I06 adjacent its lower end and a stop I01 adjacent its upper end. Shank IOI defines a squared portion I28 at its lower end upon which is mounted a swivel ring I09 which is adapted to be moved slidably on squared portion I08 and, accordingly, to rotate with shank IN. The outer surface of swivel ring I09 is such as to permit its rotation in housing I04 when shank II is rotated. Disposed between surface IIO of swivel ring I09 and shoulder I06 or housing I04 is a bearing assembly III. A spring II2 circumscribes shank IOI, the upper end of spring II2 abutting against bearing I05 and the lower end of spring I I2 abutting against surface II3 of swivel ring I09. Of course, spring II2 biases nut I03 and shank IOI upwardly while biasing swivel ring I09 downwardly. Ball hearing assembly III is provided so that shank IOI can rotate freely within housing I04 when the load on hook body I00 is insufficient to compress spring H2 and cause bearing assembly I05 to abut upon shoulder I01. On the other hand, when hook body I00 carries a full load, spring H2 is compressed so that bearing assembly I05 abuts upon shoulder I01. When this condition occurs, the full weight on hook body I00 is transmitted through bearing I05 to housing I04.

A releasable latching mechanism may be mounted on housing I04 opposite swivel ring I09 so that swivel ring I09 can be fixed against rotation with respect to housing I04 when the latching mechanism is engaged with the swivel ring and permitted to rotate with respect to housing I04 when the latching mechanism is disengaged. A number of difierent latching mechanisms for this purpose are commercially available and, accordingly, their construction will not be described here, particularly since the provision of such mechanisms is not part of the present invention. As a matter of fact, the structure of Fig. 4 so far described hereinbefore is conventional in drilling hooks. My invention consists of providing along with this conventional structure means for normally maintaining the hook body 1:00 in alignment with respect to housing I'M. This means will now be described in detail.

Referring again to Fig. 4, the numeral I designates a member mounted on the squared portion I'I'IS of shank I-0I for movement thereon longitudinally of the shank without rotation with respect thereto. I-n order to accomplish this, a squared opening 4 I6 :is provided in member 1H5 whichis adapted to engage with the squared por tion I08 of shank I 0I Member H5 consists of a lower disc like portion II] and an upper disclike portion IIB, an annular recess I=I-9 being defined therebetween. Mounted within annular (recess H9 for l'ree rotationwith respect to member I I5 is a disc-like member I20, :member I beingspaced from portions I I7 and H8 :bymeans of bearings 1 2I and L22, respectively. Lower idisc like portion II is provided with at least one de pression -.I2 3, and preferably with the series of circumferentially spaced depressions, in its upper surface I H while thelower surface I 20 of mem- .ber I20 is provided with one or more recesses I24 .Recesses I2 3 are positioned :so that they match up with depressions I23, recesses 124 being provided with a ball I biased toward disc-like portion II? by .mea-ns of a spring I26. iIt willbe noted that ball I25 .fits'into a depression I23.

A torsion spring l2I having one end afiixed to 3- housing I04 by means of bolt It-8 and the other end affixed to disc-like member I20 by means .of bolt I29 and spacer 4-30 of sufficient strength normally \to return hook body IIlil to 'a predetermined radial position with respect-to housing .I I16 when a force applied :to hook body Hi9 which tends to move it from .said position. Rollers I3I are rotatably mounted-on the .lower end of housing I04 so as toprovide rolling contact between member I15 and housing I04.

Any force of less than a predetermined value tending to rotate "hook body .IIlIl will be transmitted through member -I J5 and balls I25 to disclike member 420. However, rotative motion of disc-like vmember I25 with respect to housing Hi l is resisted by means of torsion spring I21 and torsion spring I 21 will therefore tend to maintain hook body I59 in a predetermined radial position with respect to :housing I54. If, on the other hand, a force of more'thanapredetermined value a is applied to hook body I I15 for rotating said body, torsion spring I:2-'I will "be :unable to resist rotation-of vhookbody I00 and it is for this reason that the clutch assembly hereinbefore described is provided. When such a. force is applied to hook body 199, balls I25 are forced upwardly within recess [I24 against the bias of springs I26, permitting hook body I 59, shank I0 I and-member II5 to rotate with respect to disc-like member I2ii. The'pcintrat'which'this occurs is, of course, determined by the strength of springs I25 and torsionispring I327. When themis'alignmentforce acting upon body I00 ceases to-operate thereon or drops below the predetermined value, balls I25 are forced into one of the depressions I23 intheup'per surface I'II' *ofmember IIEI, torsion spring "I 2'! again being ready 'to maintain hook body its in normal alignment with respect to housing It' l.

Referring to Figs. 7 ends, numeral -I511 refers to a hook body defining a shank I5I at its upper end and a bill I52 at its lower end. Shank I5I is connected to a bail I53 by means of shank nut I54 so that hook body I is free to rotate with respect to bail I53. Bill I52 is shown as being provided with a latching arm ;I55 pivota1'1y\-cnnnected to said bill by means of latching arm 1:56. A latch I5! is pivctally connected by means of latch pin I58 to body I50 for engagement with latching arm 1-55 .for enclosing load receiving recess I59.

Afiixed to shank I 51 is disc :I-xBIl. Disposed above disc I50 and circumscribing shank I5! is a. sec- 'ond :dis'c IGI. .Disc =I6-I is free to move radially with respect to shank I 5I. One end of a torsion spring IE2 is allixed to disc IGI, as by means of bolt I 63, while the other end of torsion spring I52 is affixed to :bail 153, as by means of a bolt ltd. The upper surface 165 of disc its is provided-with at least one depression I 56, and prefer- 'ably with a series of radially spaced depressions I66, while thelower surface I66 :of disc iii-I is provided with at least one :recess it? Mounted within recess I 5'! is a ball :I 5.3 which is biased -toward disc I160 by means of a spring its. Recess .IS'! in disc IN is so arranged with respect to depressions I66 in disc 1:60 that :ball its .is normally .forced into one of said depressions by spring I69.

If a force .of less than a predetermined magnitude is applied to hook body I50 for rotating said body, torsion spring 1262 tends to resist this motion. This comes :about because the torso tending to rotate body is transmitted through disc use and balls I ES to disc Nil. Because the force is of less than a predetermined magnitude, tors-ion spring I52 returns hook body 150 to its normal predetermined position. If, 'on the other hand, a force of more than :a predetermined magnitude is applied to hook body I50 tending to rotate said body, balls I58 are forced upward-1y against the bias :of spring 169, thus permitting disc I65 to rotate relative :to disc I'EI. Thisrelative rotation will continue until the force rotating the .hook body drops below the predetermined value, at which time spring H35 force ball its into one of depressions F65, after which torsion spring I62 returnhook body "I50 to its normal alignment.

Rather than using the clutch arrangement shown in the embodiments of I-Figs. 1 and 4, any clutch -arrangement may be arsed in which the hook body is 'yieldably connected to the housing "by alocking-part adapted to fsecuret'he hook body and the housing together "to cause them to move radially in unison under normal conditions and to permit the .hoc'k body (to rotate independently of the housing when the shock body is subjected to an abnormal .force tending to rotate same. .Figs. :9, .10, and .11 illustrate suitable "clutch arrangements which :may be used in connection with the embodiment shown .in Fig. 1 and may be suitably modified to be employed in the embodiment shown :in Fig. '4.

Referring to :Fig. 9., the numeral It!) designates a member .tslidably mounted :on the squared por-- tion 2" of shank :2 as previously shown for movement thereon "longitudinally :of itheshank. :Meinber I70 defines a squared opening I lI adapted to ifit around squared portion 2' so as to prevent rotation o'f'me'm-ber no with respect to "shank 2.. Member I In eonsi'sts'ofa lower adise-like "portion 112 and an upper disc-like portion I13 with an annular recess IM being defined therebetween. Mounted "within annular recess lit for "free rotation with respect to member W0 is a disc li-ke member I15 which is spaced from portions I12 and I13 by means of bearings I16 and I'll, respectively. The lower surface I15 of disc-like member I15 is provided with one or more recesses I18 within which is mounted a friction button I19 biased downwardly by means of spring I80. The lower surface I8I of button I19 abuts on upper surface I82 of disc-like portion I12. Afiixed to the upper surface of disc-like member I is a cable i83 which may be connected to piston rod 42 of the alignment assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to Fig. 10, member I90 is shown as being slidably mounted on squared portion 2' of shank 2. Member I90 is provided with a squared opening I9l which fits around squared portion 2' so that member I90 may be moved longitudinally with respect to shank 2 and rotated together. Member I90 consists of a lower disc-like portion I92 and an upper disc-like portion I93 with an annular recess I94 defined therebetween. Mounted within annular recess I94 for free rotation with respect to member I90 is a disc-like portion I95 which is spaced from portions I92 and I93 by means of bearings I96 and I91, respectively. Mounted within an annular recess I90 defined in the lower surface I99 of disc-like member I95 is a saw-toothed ring 200. Ring 200 is affixed to disc I95 by means of bolts I, ring 200 having a continuous series of downwardly projecting teeth 202. Portion I92 is provided with an annular recess 203 just opposite recess I98 in disc-like member I95. In recess 203 is mounted a ring 204 with a continuous series of upwardly extending teeth 205 which are adapted to mate with teeth 262 of ring 200 in the manner indicated in Fig. 11. Ring 29 is provided with a plurality of downwardly depending pins 206 adapted to extend through openings 20'! in disc-like portion I92 and around which are springs 208. Springs 208 bias ring 294 upwardly so that teeth 205 are normally pressed into mating engagement with teeth 202 of ring 209. If a rotative force of less than a predetermined value is applied to a hook body affixed to shank 2, disc-like member I95 rotates along with member I90 because of the engagement of teeth 205 with teeth 202. When, however. a force of more than a predetermined magnitude is applied to the hook body, teeth 205 slide over teeth 202, compressing springs 208 in so doing. Teeth 295 continue to slide over teeth 202 until the force tending to rotate the hook body drops below a selected predetermined value, at which time teeth 205 and a 202 cease to slide over each other.

It will be apparent that various modifications may be made in the device disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully described and illustrated the hook of my invention, what I desire to claim and to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A load suspending device comprising, in combination, a load supporting member; a hook member suspended from said load supporting member and adapted for rotative motion relative to said load supporting member; biasing means arranged externally of said load supporting member and acting to maintain said hook member in a predetermined radial position with respect to said load supporting member; and a clutch member disposed between said load supporting member and said hook member, said clutch member acting normally to prevent rotation of said hook member with respect to said load supporting member but to permit said member to rotate with 7 respect to said load supporting member when the forces tending to rotate said hook member exceed a predetermined selected value.

2. A load suspending device comprising, in combination, a housing; a hook suspended from said housing, said hook being adapted for rotative motion relative to said housing; biasing means mounted exteriorly on said housing and arranged normally to maintain said hook in a predetermined radial position with respect to said housing; and a clutch disposed between said housing and said hook and arranged to permit relative rotative motion between said hook and said housing when the forces tending to rotate said hook exceed a predetermined selected value.

3. A load suspending device comprising, in combination, a load supporting housing; a hook member yieldably suspended by means of a spring from said housing and adapted for limited longitudinal motion relative to said housing, said hook member being freely rotatable with respect to said housing; spring means arranged externally of said housing and acting to bias said hook member to a predetermined radial position with respect to said housing; and a clutch member associated with said housing and said hook member to permit relative rotative motion between said hook member and said housing when the forces tending to rotate said hook member exceed a predetermined selected value.

4. A load suspending device comprising, in combination, a housing; a hook suspended from said housing, said hook being adapted for rotative motion relative to said housing; spring means mounted exteriorly on said housing and arranged normally to maintain said hook in a predetermined radial position with respect to said housing; and a clutch disposed between said housing and said hook and arranged to permit relative rotative motion between said hook and said housing when the forces tending to rotate said hook exceed a predetermined selected value.

5. A load suspending device comprising, in combination, a housing; a hook suspended from said housing for rotary motion relative thereto; a clutch comprising a pair of discs, one of which is afiixed to said hook and the other of which is free to rotate with respect to said hook; means disposed between said discs to permit said discs normally to move together but also to permit the disc affixed to the hook to rotate therewith while the other of said discs remains stationary when a force in excess of a predetermined value is applied. to said hook for rotating said hook; and a spring having one end afiixed to said housing externally thereof and the other end afiixed to the other of said discs, said spring being arranged to bias said other disc to a normal position relative to said housing.

DOUGLAS RAGLAND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 998,615 Huneke July 25, 1911 1,672,964 Stull June 12, 1928 2,158,373 Long May 16, 1939 2,464,590 Landahl Mar. 15, 1949 2,588,654 Nystrom et a1 Mar. 11, 1952 

